BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION SEPT. 23-5, 2022) — It’s been 2,499 outings that led up to today. Yes, THE PLANET celebrates our 2,500th column — enough for more than 30 full length novels. And it all began as a lark, a morning writing exercise, the […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY SEPT. 21, 2022) — Every voted counts, but is every vote counted? Fall’s first day is as good a time as any to confront an ever-growing problem in election integrity. Can the electorate believe in election results? Radical elements of this country’s two major […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY Sept. 19, 2022) — Why did our Right Honorable Good Friends on the Pittsfield City Council react like Bela Lugosi to a necklace of garlic when colleague Charles Kronick’s presented a petition to air the status of homelessness in Pittsfield? THE PLANET would […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION SEPT. 16-8, 2022) — Idle thoughts while wondering if the long-suffering Buffalo Bills will finally win the Super Bowl this year. Things We Don’t Want to See — Lauren Hutton, 78, posing in her underwear huckstering for a new bra called […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY SEPT. 14, 2022) — Now that all is momentarily calm, THE PLANET extends hearty congrats to Tom Bowler for his landslide win in the Democrats’ race for sheriff. If only his campaign manager and a tiny number of others could do the same. […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY SEPT. 12, 2022) — While we’ve been distracted here in Berkshire County by the tumult of the sheriff and D.A. races, something happened that deserves commented by THE PLANET: Syracuse Joe’s “divide and conquer” address last week. The President goose-stepped in footsteps put […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION SEPT. 9-11, 2022) — Now that the Jacks have all returned to their boxes, time for THE PLANET‘s autopsy results. DISTRICT ATTORNEY SHUGRUE CLOBBERS THE INCUMBENT, WHAT’S HERNAME. After Andrea Harrington gave a four-year-long seminar in “How to Botch the Opportunity […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY SEPT. 7, 2022) — Let us just say “See? Just like we indicated. Keeping this one brief: HMS Shugrue sinks S.S. Andrea OutTheDooria to the bottom of the drink. Bowler bowls Alf into the gutter with perfect game. Congrats to both winners. Well […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY SEPT. 5, CHRISTMAS EVE 1, 2022) — Typically, THE PLANET takes Labor Day off. Not this time. We’ve pulled a Padre Pio and bilocated. “Dan Valenti” and family have headed off the map. THE PLANET, though, wants to get in one more column […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY ADD 1, Sept. 2, 2022 — Here’s the latest PLANET VALENTI VIDEO from our YouTube channel. In it, I share an hour’s worth of thoughts and notes on the campaigns for sheriff and district attorney. No notes. All improv. Just THE PLANET. Give it a watch. As […]
BY PLANET VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENT (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY AUG. 31, 2022) — THE PLANET here to remind you: Just six more days til Christmas, folks. On Sept. 6, you have the opportunity to vote. In theory, it’s the greatest, restorative, electoral mechanism placed in the hands of Mary Jane and Joe […]
PLANET VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY AUG. 29, 2022) — “And the days dwindle down to a very precious few.” You have to know that as we count down the the Sept. 6 election, D.A. Andrea Harrington is feeling like the helpless maiden trapped in Bela Lugosi’s room with the […]
PLANET VALENTI BY PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION AUG. 26-8, 2022) — As Campaign ’22, sheriff and D.A., comes hits the stretch, it will be interesting to watch candidates make the final push. Who has “kick” left? As far as THE PLANET is concerned, it’s been a good campaign, […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY AUG. 24, 2022) — In case you missed it, here is the most important piece written about the current district attorney. It comes from: Someone who worked in a high-level position in the D.A.’s office Who signed on based on promises the D.A. […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY AUG. 22, 2022) — First off, allow THE PLANET to break news pertinent to the race for Berkshire County D.A: Attorney Tim Shugrue has won the endorsement of the Pittsfield police union (PPU). THE PLANET typically places little stock in endorsements, but we […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION AUG. 19-21, 2022) — Lots of beepin’ and boppin’, which means THE PLANET presents another edition of Quick Hitz and Hot Lickx. Impossible — Can it be 55 years plus a day that the Angels’ Jack Hamilton nearly killed Red Sox […]
